Goods Meter Protests
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THE Road Haulage Association and Traders Road Transport Association have re-stated their opposition to the Ministry of Transport's proposals for charging goods vehicles for waiting to load or unload in dock areas.
The R.H.A. disputes the Ministry's view that it is legitimate for goods vehicles to be made to pay parking meter charges. The area immediately concerned is Upper Thames Street, London, where the City of London Corporation, with the Ministry's backing, proposes to designate special parking spaces for lorries; but the principle involved is of national importance.
Replying to representations by operator associations, the Ministry said on June 8: It would be wrong in principle not to charge for facilities such as those suggested in a parking meter zone. A great deal of the waiting at parking meters by other vehicles is as operationally necessary to the business on which their drivers are engaged as is the waiting for goods vehicles in Upper Thames Street for a turn to load or unload. Those other vehicles are nevertheless charged for the facility and, indeed, it would be impracticable to operate the parking meter schemes on any other basis."
R.H.A. Reply The R.H.A. has now made the following points in reply:— 1. The Ministry's parking-meter policy has completely changed. When the matter was discussed in Parliament the impression was given that meters were intended to prevent the longterm parker from monopolizing parking space. The goods vehicle is now apparently to be placed ;n the position of the long-term parker and prevented from doing its work.
2. There is no reason why Upper Thames Street cannot be subjected to an ordinary "no waiting" order.
3. The street's traffic capacity will not be increased by installing meters.
4. The goods vehicle driver who has to collect or deliver a load has no control over the work or the time it takes.
5. Road transport costs will be further increased. •
The T.R.T.A.'s decision to continue opposition to the proposals came after discussion by the highways and traffic committee.
On another traffic subject, the committee has asked the national secretary of the T.R.T.A. to inquire whether the authorities concerned have considered the possibility of retaining the nucleus of the London Traffic Management Unit for advisory purposes to highway authorities generally; it fears that this expert body might be dispersed or disbanded.
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